Repayment in Kind
by Regalredstar
Summary: The time has come to return the favor. Takes place mid season 3 for Leverage and sometime post series 5 for Hustle.


Repayment in Kind

 _Disclaimer: If I owned Hustle or Leverage would I be writing fanfiction?_

 _Pairings: Eliot/Ash Friendship, Could be read as pre-slash if you squint (though that's not how it was intended)_

 _Explanation: For those who don't know Hustle is a British show about a team of conmen, who only steal from the guilty. Leverage is it's American counterpart. Eliot (Leverage) and Ash (Hustle) are the hitters/fixers of their respective teams._

In his head, Eliot knew that Ash's old teammates Danny & Stacie were in America. But there's a difference between knowing something and _knowing something._ He might know that they're here, but that doesn't mean he actually expects to run into them. The United States is a big country after all. What are the odds that they would end up in the same part of the country, let alone the same city?

So Eliot should be forgiven if it takes him a minute to realize that the two British grifters who are working on their mark when the Leverage team arrives, are in fact Ash's Danny and Stacie.

It wasn't until the team was gathered inside Lucille watching the security footage that Hardison had managed to tap into that Eliot connected the dots between the British grifters currently conning their mark and the old team picture that Ash kept in his flat. Once the realization is made, though, all Eliot can think is 'Crap.'

The two are literally minutes away from being blown. (Which is in fact exactly what Nate wanted to happen. He was a little cheesed when they arrived and discovered that someone else was already playing their mark.) He admitted, watching them, that the two were good. Just not quite good enough. It was also easily apparent that they were used to working as part of a team rather than as partners. They clearly haven't quite adapted to it yet.

He turned his attention back to the security video of the two younger grifters. At his side Hardison snorted. "Man, those two are so over the top it's ridiculous. Even I could do a better job than them, and I'm no grifter."

It was all Eliot could do to keep from rolling his eyes at him. As it was he found himself growling. "Two words, Hardison. Ice. Man."

That shut Hardison up. For a minute anyway. Then he was back, muttering, "I'm just saying. Those two are going to get arrested if they keep this up."

Eliot sighed. Unfortunately, Hardison was right. The question was, what Eliot should do about it. Truthfully he was tempted to leave the pair to their fate. As clumsy as they were being they certainly deserved it. The problem was that if he didn't rescue them, Ash would never forgive him. That pretty much decided it. Eliot owed Ash. Owed him not only for looking after Sophie the previous year, but also for so much more.

Reaching into his pocket, Eliot pulled out the badge that he had stolen from Sterling the last time the team had had to deal with the annoying insurance investigator turned Interpol Agent. Turning away from Hardison he headed toward the back of the van.

Right as he was about to climb out, Nate stopped him. "Where are you going?

Eliot ignored him. Shaking the older man's hand off his shoulder, he continued on his way, concentrating on what he was going to do next. For a brief second his mind slipped and he found himself wondering if he had his comm in, but he quickly pushed that from his mind.

"I asked you where you were going.." Nate's voiced hissed in his ear. Well, Eliot thought, that answered the question as to whether or not he had his comm.

"Eliot." There was a hint of anger in Nate's voice.

"Repaying a debt. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm kind of making this up as I go along."

"A debt?" Nate was spluttering now. Eliot just knew he was working himself up into a tirade.

But before he could Sophie's voice cut in on the exchange. "Ash?"

Eliot felt himself relax. Sophie would take care of it. "Ash," he confirmed.

He was almost at the door. Before he could go through, Parker was at his side. "Sophie sent me. She said you would need back up." He smiled at her as she pressed a pair of handcuffs into his hand. "She saw you fingering that badge you stole from Sterling and figured out your play. She and Hardison are running back up if we need it." She stilled momentarily, "I'm Hagen right now."

He nodded at her, then pulled open the building doors and stepped into the marble foyer. Confidently he approached the receptionist, holding out Sterling's badge to her. "Excuse me ma'am," he said, using his best British accent (which, after years of working for Moreau and then with Sophie, was pretty darn good). "My name is Agent James Sterling, Interpol, and this is my colleague FBI agent Lydia Hagen. We need to speak with Mr. Harraday immediately."

The receptionist was clearly charmed by the accent. She blushed as she replied. "I'm sorry sir. Mr. Harraday's in a meeting with some investors. He should be out shortly if you'll just wait."

As she was speaking Eliot heard Sophie's voice come over the comms. "Okay now, Parker, I want you to repeat exactly what I say…"

"These investors," Parker interjected, "they wouldn't happened to be British would they? A blonde man with very blue eyes, and a black haired woman?"

Even if Eliot hadn't already known the answer to that question, the look of shock on the receptionist face would have been answer enough.

Parker turned to look at Eliot, her eyes widening in that over exaggerated way that they did when she was trying to play a part. "They're here.

Eliot nodded at her, and then turned back to the receptionist, "I need to get in to see Mr. Harraday immediately. Those investors are not what they seem. You see, they are not investors at all, but conmen, wanted throughout Europe and the United Kingdom for their part in some highly elaborated con jobs. Highly dangerous." The receptionist's eyes got wider with every word that he said. "Now we don't want to tip them off to our presence, so if you could quietly show us the way to Mr. Harraday's office I would be very grateful."

"Of course Agent Sterling," she whispered, her eyes wide with fear. (And Eliot noted, a bit of excitement, and even more lust.) "This way."

"Thank you," he glanced down at the nameplate on her desk, "Mandy."

As they started toward the elevators, Eliot heard Hardison's voice squawk in his ear. "Wliot, you have to get up there now. They can't see it, but Harraday's hand keeps inching closer to the button for the silent alarm he has in his office. Now I can keep the call from going through for a few minutes, but not forever."

"Shut up, Hardison." He whispered under his breath as the elevator began to climb. Theoretically, Eliot was aware of the fact that it only took them a few minutes to reach the top floor, but it felt much, much longer than that.

The second the door opened Eliot pushed past the receptionist, Parker hot on his heels. Reaching the door, he pushed it open, with more force than he had done anything that day.

"Who the hell are you?" the anger in Harraday's voice was unmistakable. As the sight of Mandy hurrying along behind the two of them, he turned his wrath on her. "Mandy, who the hell are these people? Why would you let them up here?

"I'm sorry sir." She squeaked in response. "They said that it was very important that they be taken in to see you immediately."

Eliot chose to ignore all of this, and instead pushed Danny against a window. Privatley, he noted with some satisfaction that Parker was doing the same with Stacie. "Daniel Blue, aka Danny Blue and Stacie Monroe, you are under arrest for multiple counts of theft, forgery, and fraud." Turning to Harraday, he spoke on brusque tones. "I'm sorry about that Mr. Harraday. My name is James Sterling, Interpol., and this is Lydia Hagen, FBI. These two," he glared at Danny and Stacie, "are conmen wanted throughout Europe for an astounding variety of offenses."

"Conmen?" Harraday smirked. "I knew something was off about these two. You'd think that they'd be better at playing a part."

Eliot sent him a bored look. "I never said that they were very good at it sir. Just incredibly lucky. They always manage to leave town just ahead of the police. I should know. I've been tracking them for nearly two years now."

"Two years, eh? Must be good to know you've got them."

Eliot gave the same smirk that he had seen Sterling give dozens of times. "It should put a nice feather in my cap. Not that I really need one of course. Now if you'll excuse me," he turned and started pushing Danny toward the door, "we really need to get these two to the FBI building."

"Of course." Harraday waved his hand. "Wouldn't want to give them the chance to get away."

"No." Eliot responded. "We wouldn't."

The second that the foursome were safely away from the building Stacie turned to glare at them. "Who the hell are you? Because, clearly you are not Interpol. Your accent is atrocious. And you," she looked at Parker. "You can't act your way out of a paper bag, can you?"

"I did better than you," Parker muttered.

"Parker." Eliot sent her a warning. His heart wasn't in it though. He had thought that his British accent was quite good, all things considered.

Clearly Danny had heard him, "You're grifters aren't you? Come to steal our job."

It was all Eliot could do not to explode. They rescue the pair, and this was their thanks? "We didn't steal your job. We rescued you, you nitwit. The two of you were on the verge of being caught. He had his hand on the silent alarm. Did you know that? If we hadn't come in when we did you would be being arrested by real police officers right now."

Danny scoffed, "So we're just supposed to thank you?"

This time it was Parker who replied. "Yes! Yes! You should thank us. We didn't have to save you. We could have just let you be arrested, and then taken over the job ourselves. That's what Nate wanted to do. If Eliot hadn't insisted…"

Eliot smiled at her. "It's okay, Parker. I didn't do it for them. Now give me your keys so that we can get these handcuffs off them and everyone can go their separate ways."

It was Stacie (clearly, Eliot noted, the brains of this whole operation) who puzzled out what he had just said as he was removing her handcuffs. "Wait, you said that you didn't do it for us. Who did you do it for?"

Eliot smiled, "A mutual friend, who I owed a favor to."

"A mutual friend? What does that—" Stacie clamped a hand over Danny's mouth.

"I see. Thank you for your help."

"As I said, just repaying a favor." Eliot turned to walk away then thought better of it. Meeting the eyes of one then the other, he spoke softly. "Ms. Monroe, Mr. Blue, a word of advice. Working as partners is a whole lot different then working as part of a team. I suggest that you remember that in the future."

Taking Parker's arm he headed back toward Lucille and their team, confident in the knowledge that today he had successfully repaid a favor in kind.

 _A/N: So I'm trying to get back into fan fiction by completing my own personal 1 a day challenge. (In other words, I have to post one new fan fiction story or chapter everyday for the next month.) I know I'm a little late with Sunday's piece (it's shortly after midnight here), but I promise, I already have tomorrow's written, so that one will be up much earlier._

 _Til next time,_

 _Regal_

 _Up tomorrow:_

 _Introduction to Beginnings and Endings (My first story in two new fandoms, Buffy & Community)_


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